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Job Report Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations Managers
Nature of the Work
The fundamental objective of any firm is to market its products or services profitably.
In very small firms, all marketing responsibilities may be assumed by the owner or chief
executive officer. In large firms, which may offer numerous products and services nationally
or even worldwide, experienced marketing, advertising, and public relations managers
coordinate these and related activities.
In large firms, the executive vice-president for marketing directs the overall marketing
policy--including marketing strategy, sales, advertising, sales promotion, and public
relations activities. These activities are supervised by middle and supervisory managers
who oversee staffs of professionals and technicians.
Marketing managers--also known as product group managers--develop the firm's
detailed marketing strategy. With the help of subordinates, including product managers and
market research managers, they determine the demand for the firm's products and services
and identify potential consumers--for example, business firms, wholesalers, retailers,
government, or the general public. Marketing managers develop pricing strategy with an
eye towards maximizing the firm's share of the market and ultimately its profits. In
collaboration with sales, product, and other managers, they monitor trends that indicate the
need for the new products and services and oversee product development. Marketing
managers work with advertising and sales promotion managers to best describe the firm's
products and services and sway potential users.
Sales managers direct the firm's sales program. They assign sales territories and
goals and establish training programs for their sales representatives. In large, multiproduct
firms, they oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs. Sales managers
maintain contact with dealers and distributors. They analyze sales statistics gathered by
their staffs to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the
preferences of customers to decide which products to develop and which to discontinue--
information that is vital to the firm's market research activities.
Except in the largest firms, advertising and sales promotion staffs are generally small
and serve as a liaison between the firm and the advertising or sales promotional agency to
which most advertising or promotional functions are contracted out. Advertising mangers
oversee the account services, creative services, and media services departments. The
account services department is managed by account executives, who assess the need for
advertising and, in advertising agencies, maintain the accounts of clients. The creative
services department--which develops the subject matter and presentation of advertising--is
supervised by a creative director, who oversees the copy chief and art director and their
staffs. The media services department is supervised by the media director, who oversees
planning groups which select the communication media--for example, radio, television,
newspapers, magazines, or signs--to disseminate the advertising.
Sales promotion managers--who supervise staffs of sales promotion specialists--
direct sales promotion programs, which combine advertising with financial incentives to
increase sales of products and services. In an effort to establish closer contact with
purchasers--dealers, distributors, or consumers--sales promotion programs may involve
direct mail, catalogs, exhibits, and special events. Financial incentives may include
discounts, samples, gifts, and contests.
Public relations managers--who supervise staffs of public relations specialists--direct
publicity programs designed to promote, using any necessary communication media, the
image of the firm to various groups such as consumers, stockholders, or the general public.
For example, public relations managers may clarify or justify the firm's point of view on
health or environmental issues to community or special interest groups. In large product-
oriented firms--such as motor vehicle manufacturers--they may evaluate advertising and
sales promotion programs for compatibility with public relations efforts. In service-oriented
firms--such as airlines--they may supervise many of the advertising and promotional
activities. Public Relations managers may confer with labor relations managers to produce
internal company communications--such as news about employee-management relations--
and with financial managers to produce company reports. Public relations managers may
assist company executives in drafting speeches, arranging interviews, and other forms of
public contact. They may oversee company archives and respond to information requests.
Working Conditions
Marketing, advertising, and public relations managers are provided with offices close
to top managers and to the departments they direct. Long hours, including evenings and
weekends, are usual. Working under pressure is unavoidable as schedules change,
problems arise, and deadlines and sales goals must be met. Marketing, advertising, and
public relations managers meet frequently with other managers, the public, or government
officials.
Substantial travel may be involved. For example, attendance at meetings sponsored
by associations or industries is often mandatory. Sales managers travel to national,
regional, and local offices and to various dealers and distributors. Advertising and sales
promotion managers may travel to meet with clients or representatives of communications
media. Public relations managers may travel to meet with special interest groups or
government officials. Job transfers between headquarters and regional offices are
common--particularly among sales managers--and may disrupt family life.
Employment
Marketing, advertising, and public relations managers held about 408,000 jobs in
1990. These managers are found in virtually every industry. Industries employing them in
significant numbers include motor vehicle dealers, department stores; computer and data
processing services firms; radio and television broadcasting stations; and educational
institutions.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Most employers prefer that marketing, advertising, and public relations managers
have a broad liberal arts background. A bachelor's degree in sociology, psychology,
literature, or philosophy is acceptable. However, requirements vary depending upon the
particular job.
For marketing and sales management positions, some employers prefer a bachelor's
or master's degree in business administration with an emphasis on marketing. Courses in
business law, economics, accounting, finance, mathematics, and statistics are also highly
recommended. In highly technical industries, such as aircraft and guided missile
manufacturing, a bachelor's degree in engineering or science combined with a master's
degree in business administration may be preferred. For advertising and sales promotion
management positions, some employers prefer a bachelor's degree in advertising. The
curriculum should include courses in marketing, consumer behavior, communications
methods and technology, and visual arts courses--for example, art history and photography.
For public relations management positions, some employers prefer a bachelor's or master's
degree in public relations or journalism. The curriculum should include course in
advertising, business administration, public affairs, political science, and creative and
technical writing. Familiarity with computerized word processing applications is important
for many marketing, advertising, and public relations management positions.
Most marketing, advertising, and public relations management positions are filled by
promoting experienced staff or related professional or technical personnel--for example,
sales representatives, purchasing agents, buyers, advertising workers, and public relations
specialists. In small firms, where the number of positions is limited, advancement to a
management position may come slowly. In large firms, promotion may occur more quickly.
Although experience, ability, and leadership are emphasized for promotion,
advancement may be accelerated by participation in management training programs
conducted by many large firms. Many firms also provide their employees with continuing
education opportunities, either in-house or at local colleges and universities, and encourage
employee participation in seminars and conferences. In addition, numerous marketing and
related associations, often in collaboration with colleges and universities, sponsor national
or local training programs. Their schools, located throughout the country, deal with different
phases of management activities. Persons enrolled attend sessions on subjects such as
brand and product management, international marketing, sales management evaluation,
telemarketing and direct sales, marketing communication, organizational communication,
and data processing systems procedures and management. Many firms pay all or part of
the cost for those who successfully complete courses.
Persons interested in becoming marketing, advertising, and public relations
managers should be mature, creative, highly motivated, resistant to stress, and flexible, yet
decisive. The ability to communicate persuasively, both orally and in writing, with other
managers, staff, and the public is vital. Marketing, advertising, and public relations
managers also need tact, good judgement, and exceptional ability to establish and maintain
effective personal relationships with supervisory and professional staff members and client
firms.
Job Outlook
Employment of marketing, advertising, and public relations managers is expected
to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2000 as
increasingly intense domestic and foreign competition in products and services offered
consumers requires greater marketing and promotional efforts. In addition to rapid growth,
many job openings will occur each year to replace managers who move into top
management positions or leave the labor force. However, the ample supply of experienced
professional and technical personnel and recent college graduates with extensive
experience who possess a high level of creativity and strong communications skills should
have the best job opportunities.
Projected employment growth varies by industry. For example, employment of
marketing, advertising, and public relations managers is expected to grow the most rapidly
in the data processing services industry in response to the increasing use of computers.
Much faster than average employment growth is also expected in other business services
industries, including advertising agencies, public relations firms, and establishments offering
direct mail, commercial photography, art, and graphics services, as firms increasingly find
it cost-efficient to contract out these services. Very rapid growth is also expected in the
radio and television broadcasting industry as this communication medium is increasingly
used, and in the travel, hotel, restaurant, and amusement and recreation services industries
as personal incomes and leisure time increase. On the other hand, employment is
expected to grow only about as fast as the average for all occupations in the educational
services industry--in line with school enrollment projections--and in hospitals as more
medical care is provided by out-patient care clinics and other health care establishments.
Declining employment is projected in some manufacturing industries.
Earnings
The medium annual salary of marketing, advertising, and public relations managers
was $38,700 in 1990. The lowest 10 percent earned $20,500 or less, while the top 10
percent earned well over $55,100. Salaries between $79,500 and $106,000 are not
uncommon. Many earn bonuses equal to 10 percent or more of their salaries. Salary
levels vary substantially depending upon the level of managerial responsibility, length of
service, and size and location of the firm. For sales managers, the extent of their sales
territory is another important factor.
Like other managers, marketing, advertising and public relations managers typically
receive a range of fringe benefits that includes health and life insurance, vacation and sick
leave, and a pension, among others.
Related Occupations
Marketing, Advertising, and public relations managers supervise the sale of products
and services offered by their firms and the communication of information about their firms'
activities. Other personnel involved with marketing, advertising, and public relations include
art directors, commercial and graphic artists, copy chiefs, copywriters, editors, lobbyists,
market research analysts, public relations specialists, sales promotion specialists, sales
representatives, and technical writers.
Sources of Additional Information
For information about careers in sales and marketing management, contact:
Sales and Marketing Executives, International, 446 Statler Office Tower,
Cleveland, OH 44115.
For information about careers in advertising management, contact:
American Association of Advertising Agencies, 666 Third Ave., 13th Floor,
New York, NY 10017.
American Advertising Federation, 1400 K St. NW., Suite 1000, Washington,
DC 20005.
Information about careers in sales promotion management is available from:
Council of Sales Promotion Agencies, 176 Madison Ave., Fifth Floor, New
York, NY 10016.
Promotion Marketing Association of America, Inc., 322 Eighth Ave., Suite
1201, New York, NY 10001.
Information about careers in public relations management is available from:
Public Relations Society of America, 33 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003.
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